Chapter 601 - To the End of the Footprints
You smell like other girls.
"Oh, that'd be my three delightful otaku friends. Want me to introduce you?"
I'll pass…
Was she joking or not? I immediately countered Nia's terrifying opening line with a deadpan expression.
It was six in the evening. In the end, we’d made a racket until just before sunset before finally heading home.
The party meant to celebrate our hard work had only left me more exhausted. I spared myself the effort of the final few dozen steps to my room and collapsed onto the large waiting sofa in the dorm’s entrance hall.
Didn't you say it was "probably some kind of appreciation party"? Why are you even more tired?
"Well, you know, a lot of stuff happened… Apparently, being young and full of life is exhausting by default."
I mean, it was fun, don't get me wrong. But it's true for anything, really—if you try to have fun with all your might, you can't avoid mental and physical fatigue. It can't be helped.
I turned just my head to catch her words and offered a vague reply. As one might expect from the fact that we'd bumped into each other right at the entrance…
Miss Liliania Vrewberi, who had apparently been diligently waiting to greet someone again today, puffed out her cheeks in a deliberately theatrical display of dissatisfaction.
Not fair. You have to be young and full of life with me, too.
"I think we're doing a pretty extreme version of that right now…"
It feels a bit shameless to say it myself, but our current situation is the very definition of that youthful ideal, isn't it? In so many ways, this is a textbook case of a classic story of youth.
Oh, a message from the Princess. She said she's busy with this and that again today, so you don't have to wait for her.
While poking my cheek without permission, Nia shook the screen on which she'd typed out the words with her usual lightning-fast flicks. The direct nickname left no doubt as to who she was referring to, and the message was likely about tonight's dinner.
In other words, it would be just the two of us at the dinner table again—however, Nia has been lately…
Mmmph…
"Whoa, hey… You really have the disposition of a youngest child. What happened to being the 'big sister'?"
She tends to be more saddened by Ashe's absence than pleased by the opportunity of being one-on-one.
Changing her target from my cheek to my stomach, she plopped her head down like a soft headbutt. I gave her a light nudge, trying not to be too conscious of it, but the slightly dispirited Nia didn't react.
No, really… our neighbors to the left and right have gotten so close it’s concerning for the future, in more ways than one. At first, it seemed the affection was mostly coming from Ashe, but Nia was quickly won over by the straightforward Princess who never hides her goodwill.
I kind of knew it already, but she's a total pushover.
And once she gets attached, she goes all in. That’s her nature. She’s now started to show her lonely side even to Ashe, whom she considers practically family.
And Ashe, being the caring person she is, dotes on Nia, bringing their mutual affection to a perfect completion.
The whole 'romantic rival' atmosphere has faded so much that, lately, it's not uncommon to see a scene where even when the three of us are together, I'm left alone while those two are happily getting along.
It's not my place to say, but I can't help but wonder if they're really okay with that.
"I can't say I don't get it, with Ashe as the other party… but the other day, Mitsueda-san was pouting, saying, 'She hasn't come crying to me lately.'"
What are you doing having secret talks with my best friend? Unforgivable.
"It wasn't a secret talk, more like a meeting of the guardians—Gah… ugh…!? Stop, you…! How are you the big sister in any way, you little…!"
I mercilessly grabbed the fluffy, caramel-blonde ball of hair that had started thrashing about and pushed myself up from the sofa.
Whatever. If she wants attention because she's lonely…
"Nia, you free after this?"
? I don't have any particular plans.
"Okay. In that case—"
Perfect timing. I was going to make the offer after checking her schedule anyway, but…
"Let's finish dinner early and head out. …On the other side, okay?"
Huh?
…it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to just sweep her away on a whim.
◇◆◇◆◇
"Nia-san, good even—"
"Hi, good evening!"
Meanwhile, in Arcadia, the virtual world. In a corner of the nearly deserted, quiet 'city'.
I had things to do yesterday and the day before, but my call to my partner, who's also on summer break, went through without a hitch. And so, our impromptu gathering consisted of a trio plus alpha.
Barely exchanging greetings, Sora was captured by Nia as per the template, her cheeks being squished and rubbed. Ignoring that scene for a moment…
"—Whoaaaaaa! It's amazing, so pretty, such a treasure! See, see, I knew it! My eyes are never wrong! I'm so awesome!"
"Could you maybe lower your voice just a little?"
A short distance from where Sora and Nia were deepening their bond.
I was in my Trance form inside a deployed duel field, showing off the 'Sakura,' and a wry smile grew on my face as I was subjected to the same old heightened tension.
"So that's how it is…! Kagura-chan and Enra-kun, huh…! Wow, that's amazing. Maybe I should have them make me something interesting, too!"
"Yeah, well, feel free… Are we about done here?"
"Okay, okay! Thanks, Har-kun!"
The pleasure's all mine. With those words, I dismissed the active [Atiomart -Sakura=Memento-] and simultaneously ended the duel system. The goddess's power to rewind the results of such diversions meant I didn't have to worry about the terrifying cost of the magic-power manifestation weapon.
"So yeah, that's the gist of it. Even though it was the result of a gacha, thanks for giving me something so good."
"Don't mention it! I've got plenty of similar stuff, you know!"
"…Haha, I see. I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
The one who uttered something arguably more terrifying than the cost of the Sakura Memento was none other than the Northern Faction's number one ranker, the original owner of the [Sacred Sakura Amber] that became the weapon's material.
As expected, she was just like a certain [Screen]-dono, completely uninterested in worldly affairs and totally unaware of the events from two months ago. It took a while to explain everything to her.
I wanted to thank her for the Sakura Sword, which had been a highlight of the excitement. When I told her that, Lux, whom I hadn't seen in a while, laughed innocently and started slapping my back.
Her arm, not having much invested in STR, didn't produce an immense impact. However, when the target's VIT is practically nonexistent, an impact that is 'ordinary' by superhuman standards can become 'extreme' by mortal ones.
My vision jolted and showed no sign of stopping. My wry smile deepened—and then I was suddenly pulled back, scooped up by a helping hand.
"You can't do that, Lux-san. As you can see, Haru is more frail than anyone else here."
"The undeniable truth stings…"
It seemed Sora-san, who hadn't escaped from Nia but rather dragged the blue-haired girl along with her to my rescue, was giving Lux a half-lidded glare.
Her gaze was just as unforgiving as the one she usually reserves for me, her partner.
They must have gotten much closer after teaming up again in the last event, just like the one before. Back then, she'd been complaining, saying things like, "I wanted to be with you this time," and, "You're just going to flirt with Nia-san again, aren't you?"
Personally, I'm happy to see Sora's circle of friends expanding. And it's not because I'm trying to act like her guardian or anything—but well, none of that matters right now.
Right now, what I need to focus on is…
"Sora-san, we're in public."
…scolding my partner for her reckless behavior, clinging to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world with two spectators right there.
Next, I have to peel off Nia, who switched from clinging to Sora to clinging to me as if to compete. A sigh escaped me, more from the unexpected level of chaos than from embarrassment.
And then, probably—
"…It's fine, isn't it? There's no one here we don't know. And even if I behave, it's a given that Lux-san will tease us anyway."
"Yeah, yeah! Just accept your fate!"
"Ahaha, you're so popular, Har-kun. You should have invited Ar-chan, too."
And so, it went like this.
When a job-changed-to-cuddler Sora-san throws self-restraint to the wind, this party effectively has no one to put on the brakes… It was my bad luck that I hadn't expected Nia and Lux to be on such familiar,遠慮-less terms.
"Oh, Nya-chan. I found a bunch of pretty stones again, so I'll give you your pick."
"That's a huge help, but I told you I won't take them for free. I'll properly appraise them and buy them from you, so show me later. And don't you go anywhere until I'm done looking, okay?"
"Okey-dokey!"
—And that's how it was.
Maybe I should have thought things through a bit more before gathering people on a whim… but it's too late for regrets now.
We were not in the main district built by people in the Garden of Divine Creation, the so-called Safe Area. Instead, we were in the planned site for the second 'city,' where the foundation work had just been completed and was now undergoing sequential expansion.
Approximately ten thousand kilometers from the Great Bell Tower of Beginnings. At a corner of the new base, where the [Alv Portal], an unlimited-distance transfer gate, was scheduled to be opened to the public soon… provisional name, [Frontier].
"Alright, shall we get going? Lead the way, oh great [Traveler]-dono."
"Okay, okay, leave it to me! As long as I remember the way!!!"
"If you're telling me to leave it to you, I'm gonna need you to promise me that much."
"Ah, haha… It's a pleasure to—why are you clinging to me?! That's not okay, Lux-san! Even if you're just teasing, I'll get angry, you know!?"
"I don't think she's thinking about anything, Sora-chan. Oh, and I'll just be baggage."
And so began the first act of our boisterous, unconventional party.
Nearly deserted. Meaning there are a few high-level construction artisans here and there. Meaning they're being watched, but they're a wholesome party of four beautiful girls, so there's no problem at all.